New Arrivals

The 1961 Ducru Beaucaillou is a vintage that I have tasted on a dozen occasions over the years and, although nowadays it can vary bottle to bottle, it remains a formidably Saint-Julien. It shows just a thin circle of bricking commensurate with its age, quite deep at its core. The bouquet is vigorous and enticing with black fruit, autumn leaves, black truffle and, evidenced on this particular bottle, a light ferrous/rusty piping scent. The palate is structured and dense. This has always been a swarthy and muscular Ducru-Beaucaillou, extremely focused and, whilst not displaying the finesse of its peers, there is something aristocratic and deeply impressive. It will clearly give another two decades of drinking pleasure. Tasted blind at La Trompette.

Drink 2019 - 2045

Neil Martin, vinous.com (Oct 2019)

Yellow colour with a nose showing ocean, saltiness and seaweed at first. With time in the glass, it shows tarragon and butterscotch, and at last, it offers honey and coffee. Intense palate with minerals, citrus and oxidized red apples that are starting to dry out. Nice finish showing sea buckthorn on the long-lasting finish.

Latour is a benchmark for its unwavering consistency and exceptional quality in even the most challenging vintages. The 1996 vintage, in particular, showcases the heavenly results achieved by this renowned winery. This textbook Latour wine is characterised by its immense concentration, richness, polished tannins, and full-bodied yet not overwhelming nature. The wine's phenomenal power and balance make it an extraordinary specimen. We anticipate its continued evolution up to 2030.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

The sensuous, generous dollop of 40 % Merlot that went into this I think is what makes this so exquisite and beguiling. Warm, sweet red fruit with a hint of vanilla leading you to a palate which is plump and fleshy but elegant and sophisticated. It really reminds of a top Grand Cru Burgundy from a great year with its purity and grace. Please don't be put off if you read words like "elegant" to mean thin and lacking flavour as it can often mean in wine terms. Quite the contrary here, this is jam packed full of oomph and the finish is 3 to 4 minutes long. If its a small Christmas Day or New Years Eve gathering this year for you ( or you are an incredibly generous host/hostess and having the hordes in!) and you want something that will tick all the boxes ( and some boxes you hadn't even known you had) you wont be disappointed and you will certainly have a very happy Christmas.

Simon Staples, Berrys' Fine Wine Director (November 2009)

Tasted from an ex-château bottle at BI Wine & Spirits Calon-Segur dinner in London. The 2000 Calon Segur is one of those wines that reminds you how great the millennial vintage could be. Now at fifteen years old, it has a brilliant, vivacious red berry nose infused with ash and cigar box aromas. The detail here is a beguiling and it just "sings" Saint Estèphe. The palate is medium-bodied with dense, firm tannin that provide a rigid backbone, but it is swathed in copious tobacco-drenched black fruit and a superb line of acidity. It finishes with a twist of bitter cherry on the finish that completes what is a deeply impressive Calon-Ségur; it might just outclass the 2005. Tasted March 2015.
Neal Martin - 28/10/2016

Fully mature (yet I'd say in the early stages of its drink window), the 2000 Château Gruaud Larose offers a ripe, powerful, medium to full-bodied style as well as lots of currant and darker fruits followed by cedarwood, tobacco, iron, and assorted meaty, spicy nuances. It's a rich, almost chunky effort with a great mid-palate, still present yet ripe tannins, and an excellent finish. It lacks some of the purity and precision of today's wines yet is a satisfying, rich, impressively textured Saint-Julien to drink over the coming 15-20 years.

Drink 2021 - 2041

Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com (April 2021)

A baby, still barely evolved at 20 years old, perhaps the slowest out of the block of all Five Firsts at this point in their lives. Savoury black fruits, elegant yet concentrated, extremely Cabernet and extremely Lafite. The power comes slowly, expanding through the palate to show graphite, pencil shavings, and cigar smoke, all with firm acidities and a fantastic grip. 46% of the overall crop went into this wine in the 2000 vintage. A brilliant example of the success at Lafite under the longtime triumvirate of owner Baron Éric de Rothschild, CEO Christophe Salin and estate director Charles Chevallier.

Drink 2022 - 2045

Jane Anson, Decanter.com (July 2020)

The 2000 Léoville-Barton has a juicy, ripe bouquet of macerated black cherries, incense, potpourri and veins of blue fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins, good density, nice structure and a sappy conclusion. This has opened up in recent years and displays a touch of ash toward the finish. Drinking perfectly now, it’s a decent Léoville-Barton that never quite achieves the heights of recent stellar vintages.

Drink 2021 - 2032

Neal Martin, vinous.com (Sep 2021)

Dark crimson, although the rim looks more youthful and bluer than that of the Nacional 2000. Lifted nose with strong purple-fruit flavours. Much softer and sweeter on the mid-palate than the 1997 although there are marked, almost jagged tannins on the finish. Some blackcurrant notes. Youthful and without quite the excitement of the 1997.

Drink 2020 - 2045

Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com (December 2013)

The 2001 Lafite-Rothschild has a little more precision on the nose compared to the millennial Lafite. It’s vivid and focused, featuring blackberry, briar, cedar and mint, and a touch of cola in the background. The palate is well balanced and svelte in texture, building beautifully with aeration to a gorgeous, truffle-tinged finish that is a little spicier than three years ago, when I last tasted this vintage. Maybe it just tails off toward the finish when compared to the 2000. Still, this is an elegant, blue-blooded Lafite-Rothschild that exudes class.

Drink 2023 - 2052

Neal Martin, vinous.com (Sep 2021)

We are delighted to say that the 2001 has everything that a classic Bordeaux should. With tiny yields of only 28hl/ha and a huge percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon (86%) in the blend this is a multi-dimensional marvel. Almost black in colour, it has a rich, sweet nose of pure Cabernet fruit, pencil shavings and subtle new oak. On the palate the oak integrates beautifully with dense black cherries, cream and spices. Ripe yet firm meaty tannins are evident but not obtrusive, while a wonderful minerally quality permeates through to the very long finish. Complex and rewarding, this is more restrained that usual and will need time to reach its best.

The alcohol this vintage is 14%, while the residual sugar is 129.4 grams per litre, and the total acidity is 4.5 grams per litre of H2SO4.

Pale to medium gold coloured, the 2002 d'Yquem strides confidently out of the glass with forthright notions of spiced pears, baked pineapple, apricot preserves and orange blossoms with touches of graham crackers, praline, ginger nut and lemon curd. The palate lends an understated earthy/savoury character with seamless freshness and a satiny texture paving the long, perfumed finish. 

Open-knit, expressive and yet still packing some primary fruit flavours, this vintage has entered its drinking window for those who love Yquem while it still possesses bags of vivacity. Five to seven more years in bottle should begin to yield more of the toffee, toasted nuts and savoury elements for those who love that more evolved phase.

Drink 2019 - 2040

Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate (August 2019)

Les Comtes is one of the greatest of all Chardonnay Champagnes, its fruit sourced from the finest Grand Cru sites of the Côte des Blancs. Blue chip provenance includes the villages of Avize, le Mesnil-sur-Oger, and Cramant; it is the best of the best. Or, doubly appropriate given its luxuriant gustatory profile; la crème de la crème. 5% of the wine is aged in wood before spring bottling and the ensuing lengthy somnolence wherein the alchemical process of autolysis weaves its patient magic over nearly a decade.

2004 was an abundant crop, but also, unusually given its volume, one of high quality, especially in the south of the appellation and for the Chardonnay grape. Aromas of pear, greengage, bergamot and white flowers prove immediately attractive; the palate boasts precision, focus and a wonderful mousse bead. The immediate impression is of freshness and vitality; this is complemented by a profound yet subtle intensity that more than justifies the supreme reputation of this wine.

Ready to drink

Berry Bros. & Rudd

This great terroir sandwiched between Vieux Chteau Certan, Petrus and La Fleur Petrus, on the high plateau of Pomerol, has been owned for many years by the Barrau-Badar family. Beautiful coffee, cedar wood, Christmas fruitcake, black cherry and blackcurrant fruit jump from the glass of this full-bodied, rich, multi-layered, and very impressive Certan de May. I dont remember it showing this well in barrel and post-bottling, but it is strutting its stuff at age 10, and has a good 20 years of upside left to it. This is a beauty. I especially admire the layered, textural style of the wine. Drink it over the next 20 years.
Robert M. Parker, Jr. - 29/06/2015

I'm not sure you need me to recap the weather conditions in 2005 as it's such a famous, and relatively recent year. Suffice to say, it was pretty close to a perfect year, with spots of heat but generally cool evenings that maintained a sense of freshness and poise. The colour difference is quite remarkable in comparison to the older vintages in the tasting, and even with nearly 15 years of age, we are fully in primary colours with this 2005 - rich, purple-reds, not inky but full of life and intensity right through the body of the wine. 

On the palate, you find touches of caramel and sweet, ripe fruit that's handled expertly. It's more gourmet than any other on display, but still with gorgeous freshness and traces of black pepper spice that give focus to the finish. It has an effortless balance that just makes you so happy to be drinking this wonderful vintage from an estate that's in no hurry to reveal its riches. Outside of the world of Bordeaux wine, Angela Merkel became head of the German government, following on from Gerhard Schroëder.

Drink 2018 - 2045

Jane Anson, Decanter.com (December 2018)

I'm not sure you need me to recap the weather conditions in 2005 as it's such a famous, and relatively recent year. Suffice to say, it was pretty close to a perfect year, with spots of heat but generally cool evenings that maintained a sense of freshness and poise. The colour difference is quite remarkable in comparison to the older vintages in the tasting, and even with nearly 15 years of age, we are fully in primary colours with this 2005 - rich, purple-reds, not inky but full of life and intensity right through the body of the wine. 

On the palate, you find touches of caramel and sweet, ripe fruit that's handled expertly. It's more gourmet than any other on display, but still with gorgeous freshness and traces of black pepper spice that give focus to the finish. It has an effortless balance that just makes you so happy to be drinking this wonderful vintage from an estate that's in no hurry to reveal its riches. Outside of the world of Bordeaux wine, Angela Merkel became head of the German government, following on from Gerhard Schroëder.

Drink 2018 - 2045

Jane Anson, Decanter.com (December 2018)

Cheval Blanc’s second wine, the 2005 Le Petit Cheval, possesses some of the character of its bigger sibling. Revealing a slight green streak among the cranberry and black cherry fruit along with medium body and a soft, plush texture, it is ideal for drinking over the next decade.
Robert Parker - Wine Advocate - 30-Apr-2008

The 2006 Barolo Pira Riserva Black Label is a tiny selection of about 2,400 bottles that spent five years in cask and then a decade in cement. Dense, exotic and beautifully layered, the Riserva captures that sense of timelessness that is often a signature of the Roagna wines - a place in time in which wines are both aged and young at the same time. 

The co-existence of two different worlds defines many of the best wines here. Spice, orange zest, chocolate, spice, star anise and sweet pipe tobacco lend nuance to a wine just entering its first plateau of maturity.

Drink 2021 - 2036

Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com (October 2021)

This is a re-release of a wine that first hit the market some seven years ago. The 2006 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva is being reintroduced to the market, with only 2,500 bottles. This is a stunning wine that absolutely merits this considerable score increase. Made when dottore Franco Biondi Santi was alive and very present in the winery, this wine shows spectacular elegance and finesse, articulated with fine aromas of forest berry, blue flower, eucalyptus and lightly barbecued smoke. The wine shows extreme Sangiovese elegance and purity, and while the wine is almost fragile in approach, it ultimately reveals more brawn, volume and staying-power than anticipated.  - Wine Advocate 98/100

The 2006 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva emerges from the glass with freshly cut flowers, sweet red berries, liquorice and spices, all wrapped around a sensual, elegant frame of the notable class. Considerable aeration is needed to bring out the wine’s depth and textural richness. This is an excellent wine, but more often than not I am attracted more to the straight Brunello here, as is the case again in 2006. Costanti gave the 2006 Riserva 36 months in oak, 18 months in medium-sized barrels, followed by 18 months in cask.

Drink 2016 - 2026

Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate (April 2012)

Disgorged June 2022, 0 dosage and only 1300 bottles made.

This is one of the region best known, and most averred 100% Pinot Meuniers. Grown on steep slopes of Oeuilly above the Marne river which over time has revealed the complex clay and limestone soils. The vineyard itself, is the organic North East facing, Pierre de Bellevue lieu-dits planted by the Tarlant family in 1947. Soft pressing, wild fermentation and 7 months in Burgundian barrique, no malolactic to hold tension. This is a unique Champagne, vinous and rich yet poised with crystalline energy. Earthy minerality layered with waxy fruits, wild flowers and golden apple charm. Complex and very long.

Drink 2023 - 2030+ 

Davy Zyw, Senior Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd

A heavenly, heady bouquet enthrals the nose whilst supple, vigorous black fruit flavours dance across the palate. This may have a firm, tannic finish but there is so much fruit here that this will develop beautifully over a decade or more.

A legendary wine from Montalcino's greatest producer, the 2006 Sangiovese (labelled as IGT as they had left the Brunello consorzio) is enticingly perfumed. The silky texture and dark sweet fruit hide the framework of strong (but fine) tannins and fresh acidity lifts the wine. 

The 2007 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva wraps around the palate with gorgeous depth. Plums, smoke, liquorice, tobacco and mocha all develop in the glass. The 2007 gives the impression of being shaped a little more by the oak because of its voluptuous texture. A huge, explosive finish rounds things out nicely. This is an especially bombastic, rich wine for Costanti, but it is also quite fine and loaded with personality. There is plenty of pedigree in the glass. Still, more often than not, I find myself gravitating towards the straight Brunello bottling here.

Drink 2015 - 2027

Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate (June 2013)

Wow, this really is a magnificent vintage Champagne. Tasted side by side with the 2006, the 2007 Blanc des Millénaires was fresh, precise and zippy. I preferred it! With bright acidity, red apple and brioche notes, Cellar Master Cyril Brun calls 2007 a ‘dangerous champagne.’ Sensational now but with lots of potential for further ageing. The 2007 is linear, crisp with flint stony notes with a finish that goes on and on. Purity is the word that springs to mind when tasting, a perfect aperitif that is both refreshing and complex.

Drink 2022 - 2034

Berry Bros. & Rudd

2007 Champagne Le Mesnil, Cuvée Prestige, Blanc de Blancs, Grand Cru Champagne is a spectacular 100% Chardonnay from their fabled vineyards. Drinking at its peak with so much drama and class in a glass, this is a heroic wine with an unmissable price tag.

Matthew Jukes, Money Week (October 2023)

2007 was a vintage which favoured Chardonnay and produced many top-level cuvées. The Les Mesnil Cuvée Prestige is made exclusively from the legendary chalky Grand Cru vineyards, close to the winery in the Cote des Blancs’s most famous postcode, Le Mesnil sur Oger. The Blanc de Blancs is fermented in cement and steel at low temperatures to retain the purity of fruit and vintage personality and spent nine years on lees gaining complexity and fine, tight bubbles. 

The texture is firmly Grand Cru, with mineral edges and notes of golden apple, roasted lemon and the salty chew of caramel shortbread. The Prestige 2007 is a work of art and offers brilliant value, considering it is made from some of the region’s finest terroirs. Drink with mixed canapés, cheesy biscuits or, for the ultimate experience, turbot and a white butter sauce.

Davy Żyw, Senior Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd

Precision, pleasure & elegance is what I always associate with Billecart Salmon. And in a vintage as fabled as 2008, these hallmark traits are revealed in greater detail. The Billecart Vintage 2008 is pure joy, tiny, steady bubbles stream through wild gold in the glass.The nose is filled with baked russet apples, waxy lemons and the golden crumb of cherry crumble, all supported by the noble Pinot vinosity of Grand Cru terroir.

The palate is a roasted medley of peach, Red Macintosh and white cherry, very seductive, very classy. Pinot noir leads the mid palate, earthy and richly textured, with the hallmark tension of the vintage extending the palate with an electric Cotes des Blancs, mouth-watering tang. The mousse is silky and seamless, the finish is tart tartin with saffron flecked Chantilly cream. The wine has benefitted from time in bottle, drinking beautifully now.

Davy Zyw, Senior Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd

About to be released. A classic year with typical weather and 'perfect parameters' according to chef de cave Alice Tétienne. Dosage 5 g/l (Brut no longer appears on the front label). Disgorged November 2022.

Discreet nose, lovely tight-knit texture and lots of energy. Chiselled and not nearly at peak but with a really long and interesting aftertaste.

Drink 2023 - 2032

Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com (March 2023)

Disgorged March 2019.

The 2008 Champagne La Grande Dame is forward, with a luxurious perfume of honeysuckle, tropical fruit of papaya, and buttered citrus. The mousse is rounded, with an opulent texture, and it does finish dry, with orange marmalade, ripe melon, and chestnut. Its driving and impressive acidity will make this worthy to cellar and enjoy over the coming 20 years.

Drink 2022 - 2042

Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com (November 2022)

Ch. Angélus’s 2009 is an extremely elegant wine with a lifted, floral hint to the nose and dense, pure, concentrated liquid raspberry fruit on the palate. Very fine, silky tannins add to the smooth, round mouthfeel, all completed by a long, sweet finish.

A pretty nose of raspberry and blackcurrant coulis leads to an elegant palate of fresh bramble fruit and black cherries. Calon-Segur is not a powerful wine in 2009 but it is sophisticated with fine, gentle tannins and a twist of sweet spice on the finish. Usually in the shadow of its sister property, Grand-Puy-Lacoste ( here with the exact samescore ) , this is more expressive than usual . The nose is opulent and inviting , but what follows is a model of elegance , with tannins , acidity and fruit seamlessly interwoven. The finesse of the tannins was noticeable , albeit totally absorbed by the glorious weight of fruit . There are layers of flavour and texture , and a beguiling combination of elegance and power , with an unusually high amount of Cabernet providing fine structure.

It's been a while since we were impressed by Ch. Cantenac Brown. To be honest, I can't remember ever doing back flips over any vintage from this majestic looking château. However we were all stunned into silence when we tasted the 2009. With a 'surprisingly Margaux' perfume and delicious, juicy concentration on the palate, this is a pure and charming wine. Supple tannins melt on the smooth, polished palate which is completed by a lovely, fresh finish. Blind, I would definitely place it firmly in its 3rd Growth status this year. Very impressive indeed.
Simon Staples, Sales & Marketing Director

We normally find tasting Giscours at this stage a tad underwhelming to be honest, tending to buy large quantities (far more expensively I may add) when it’s singing, four to six years after the vintage. Not this year!!! Really generous without being pushed, intense and concentrated with an amazingly long finish, this could easily be their greatest vintage, and it actually surpasses the brilliant 2005. Fantastic.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

Tasting at Ch. Léoville Poyferré was one of our ‘wine moments’ of the 2009 en primeur week. It is, quite simply, astonishing. Very perfumed, with a delicious, juicy density on the palate, this has layer upon layer of gorgeous fruit (blackberries freshly picked from the hedge) with a wonderful, gravel minerality and earthy complexity. Supple, ripe tannins melt on the palate and the length is incredible. This is one of the most exciting wines of its level in 2009; an absolute must-buy.

The finest wine ever made by proprietors Daniel and Florence Cathiard, the 2009 Smith-Haut-Lafitte exhibits an opaque blue/purple color in addition to a glorious nose of acacia flowers, licorice, charcoal, blueberries, black raspberries, lead pencil shavings and incense. This massive, extraordinarily rich, unctuously textured wine may be the most concentrated effort produced to date, although the 2000, 2005 and 2010 are nearly as prodigious. A gorgeous expression of Pessac-Leognan with sweet tannin, emerging charm and delicacy, and considerable power, depth, richness and authority, it should age effortlessly for 30-40+ years. Bravo!
Robert M. Parker, Jr. - 23/12/2011

Burgundy 2009 Best Buys – Grand Cru Wines
Thibault Liger-Belair is one of our most popular Burgundy wine growers; he makes brilliant, chunky wines and is a lovely chap to boot. Thibault has a wonderful plot in Clos Vougeot and his almost spiritual approach to winemaking focuses the class further. This is big, and very tightly knit at the moment – a wine with a great future ahead of it. 
(Joss Fowler, Cellar Plan Account Manager)

This is a really rewarding Clos de Vougeot to put away for the future. It is lively, delicious and very full but not over-ripe, with tight tannins neatly woven alongside a real sense of power.
(Jasper Morris MW, BBR Buyer)

Dense purple, with classic notes of cedar and lead pencil shavings as well as gobs of back currants and licorice, the wine has a full-bodied mouthfeel with fabulous precision and density. It also possesses a long, silky finish with moderately high tannins, but they are ripe and well-integrated. The wood is clearly pushed to the background in this dense, full-bodied Pauillac, which should drink beautifully for 30+ years.
Robert M. Parker, Jr. - 28/02/2013

Rieussec is always such a benchmark Sauternes and seems to deliver reliably year in, year out. A rewarding wine, this would be a fine addition to any cellar.

The 2011 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne is superb with generous, bright aromas of lemon cream, stone fruits, baked pastry and almonds. The palate has a subtle verve: rich but not overbearing and its weight is carried with deftness and elegance. There is freshness here and a fine mousse brings a lively energy. Beautiful acidity and with extraordinary length, it finishes with a twist of salinity leaving you reaching for a second sip.

Drink 2022 - 2038

Larissa Buckley, Account Manager, Berry Bros. & Rudd

A step up over the other two single vineyard releases, the 2011 Cote Rotie la Landonne is an incredible wine that knocks it out of the park in the vintage. Its inky purple/ruby color is followed by to-die-for notes of cassis, black olives, truffles, graphite and crushed rock. Full-bodied, massively concentrated, thick and unctuous, it has the vintages flamboyant fruit profile, yet backs it up with a stacked mid-palate, serious amounts of tannin and a finish that just wont quite. Its relatively approachable now due to its glycerin and fat, yet needs a decade of cellaring and will knock your socks off over the following two decades or more.
Jeb Dunnuck - 31/12/2015

The 2011 Cote Rotie la Turque is about as seamless and sexy as wine gets, and this cuvee continues to put on weight and richness with every passing year. Offering a monstrous nose of Asian spices, kirsch liqueur, blackcurrants, pepper and smoked meats, this full-bodied Cote Rotie has layers of sweet tannin, no hard edges and a killer finish. It's already hard to resist today, but has three decades of prime drinking to go.
Jeb Dunnuck - 28/12/2016

Since the 2010 vintage, this wine is named Francia (not Cascina Francia) to keep with the new Menzioni Geografiche Aggiuntive (or official cru naming) in Barolo and Barbaresco. The 2012 Barolo Francia is a seductive and silky expression that flows gracefully over the palate with power and determination.

The nose is expressive, and decidedly more articulate than many of the more muted wines made by neighboring estates in this warm vintage. The quality of the mouthfeel is of special interest. This beautiful Barolo already shows stunning texture, richness and integrity, despite this very early preview tasting.

I tasted this wine in barrel shortly before bottling.

Drink 2020 - 2050

Monica Larner, Wine Advocate (June 2016)

Readers will find a silky, nuanced Barolo in the 2012 Riserva Vigna Rionda. Rose water, orange zest, cinnamon, sage, mint and dried cherry are some of the many nuances that give the 2012 its aromatic top notes, and all of the elements fall into place effortlessly. Relatively open-knit for a young Rionda, this should drink well with minimal cellaring. The 2012 doesn't quite have the explosive energy of vintages like 2010, 2013 or 2014, but it will offer tons of pleasure sooner than any of those wines. I loved it.

Massolino has really been on a roll over the last few vintages. The 2014s are truly impressive wines that further solidify the estate's place among the elite producers of Barolo. While these wines have been terrific for quite some time, in recent years Massolino has found an added element of finesse and nuance. Readers should note that Massolino did not bottle their Barolo Parussi in 2014.

Drink 2022 - 2037

Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com (February 2018)

Ideal with a 2-hour carafe.

Finesse and savoury black fruits and mint leaf with gentle rosemary. It has a quiet concentration, together with layers of graphite, and slate, and a mouthwatering finish. Both quiet and yet powerful, it gives an insight into what makes Lafite so singular, and that is all you can really ask of a 2nd wine. Interesting also how it differs from Petit Mouton, such a brilliant distillation of the difference between the two estates.

Drink 2022 - 2034

Jane Anson, JaneAnson.com (March 2022)

The 2012 vintage continues to prove it is one of the greatest of this millennium. It was sunny, but low yielding and the resulting wines have concentration, opulence and are worthy of time in the cellar. This unique parcel, late disgorged exclusively for Berry Bros. & Rudd, gives the palate richer golden depth, but also freshness.

A blend of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay, the nose entices with roasted citrus, fig tarts and musky floral lift. The palate is a celebration of drinkability and complexity. The texture has a soft flow of fine mousse which carries the vintage’s richness in a cloud-like embrace. There are notes of peach, lemon meringue, the chewy corners of pâtisserie, and some depth of hazelnuts from evolution.

The finish is driven and typifies the grandeur of the vintage, but also the Grand Cru vineyards of Pol Roger. Everlasting, mineral elegance. Our 325th anniversary edition Pol Roger 2012 is testament to our enduring alliance with Pol Roger, but also the quality of their wines and the vintage.

Drink now to 2045

Davy Zyw, Senior Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd (October 2023)

The 2012 Extra-Brut Blanc de Blancs Les Blanches Voies is elegant, weightless and crystalline in its purity. Lemon peel, white flowers, crushed rocks and marzipan abound. Another six months has done the 2012 wonders. A wine of transparency and crystalline purity. Even with more than two years of disgorgement, the 2012 is very tightly wound. It’s all understatement and class here. -Antonio Galloni

The annual release of 10 year old Château Palmer, and this time it's an often-underrated but delicious vintage that sits in the shadow of the most prestigious years of the last decade. Proof of how slowly this wine ages, it is packed with blueberry and cassis fruits, a shot of mint leaf, mandarin peel, sage and dark chocolate, with shoulders and a serious architecture, bigger than you might expect for a vintage with such an easy-drinking, gourmet reputation.

I last tasted this vintage around eight months ago and it has opened up further since then, often the case as wines shift around the decade mark, and this is an upscore. A moment when Palmer was fully committing to farming biodynamically, doubling its coverage to almost 15 hectares, and had just unveiled a new cellar. Harvest October 1 to 15, Sabrina Pernet technical director, Thomas Duroux director. 68% new oak. No rush to drink, and has many decades ahead, but you can begin thinking about it.

Drink 2023 - 2042

Jane Anson, JaneAnson.com (July 2022)

The nose of this wine is delightful. Incredibly gentle and beguiling, in a way that all great wines should be. There is spice and tobacco, with a hint of wood smoke. The palate is soft and velvety, with waves of complexity led by juicy plum and smooth vanilla. This will only become more enticing with age.

Drink now to 2040+

Paul Keating, Private Account Manager (November 2019)

Soft contours, silky tannins and sweet, perfumed fruit are some of the signatures in the 2014 Costa Russi. As always, Costa Russi is the most polished and open-knit of these wines in its youth. Succulent fruit, hard candy and lifted, perfumed aromatics give the 2014 considerable early appeal, but I expect time in bottle will work its usual magic. Today, the 2014 is showing only the barest hint of its potential. Even in the early going, though, the Costa Russi is a totally sexy wine.

The Gaja family's 2014 Barbarescos are more than worthy follow ups to the stellar 2013s. The 2014s also show a bit more stylistic cohesion throughout the range than was the case with the 2013s. Overall, the 2014s are defined by their energy, tension and brilliant personalities. As good as Gaja's cru wines are, the straight Barbaresco - which is a blend of many top sites - is as good or nearly as good as those wines. It is also much more accessibly priced, even if none of these wines can be defined as inexpensive. Sadly, yields are down 35% across the board for the 2014s.

Drink 2024 - 2044

Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com (October 2017)

The 2014 Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Minéral is a powerful, intense Champagne that captures all of the natural power of these old vines in Avize and Cramant. Aptly named, the Minéral is infused with tremendous mineral and soil inflections that give a real feeling of gravitas. Crushed rocks, slate, chalk and citrus accents are some of the many nuances that emerge with a bit of time in the glass. This release is fabulous. It is also a reticent wine, though, so at least a year or two in bottle will help soften.  - Antonia Galloni

The nose is layered with delicate floral notes and hints of cherry. The palate is incredibly bright and vibrant, with bundles of pink grapefruit and blood orange encompassed in a lively mousse. With the blend favouring Chardonnay, there are hints of tropical fruits too. This is drinking wonderfully now and will age well over the next six years.

Drink 2022 - 2030

Paul Keating, Senior Account Manager, Berry Bros. & Rudd

Precise and energetic, this is another wine which benefited enormously from the Indian summer of 2014. This is serious wine, rich and complex. The bouquet shows focus and pure cassis fruit with hints of cocoa. The well-defined tannins knit the whole result together, expertly complemented by high acidity. There is balance on display here, it tastes exactly how a Pauillac should: ripe, juicy fruit, no hint of extraction and so accessible, even at this early stage. There is a coolness to the wine and delicious freshness. This is wine of great finesse, and will surely age superlatively. It is a gorgeous wine.

65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 6% Petit Verdot

Bottled July 2016, disgorged May 2019. Zero dosage.

This is the second release from Leclerc Briant’s new clos in Montagne de Reims; the panoramic site was chosen for the longevity it gives its wines, and for their lucid nature. The 2015 vintage was vinified in mixed oak barrels – including second fill from Haut-Brion Blanc – giving it added texture. The nose is pretty and tightly coiled, with white flowers, green apples, nectarines and wild honey. The palate is cleansing, with racy white-and-yellow fruits, sweet hay, camomile and much more; it’s got lip-puckering tension and salinity. This is finely woven, with beautifully integrated mousse and minerality.

Drink 2024 - 2035

Davy Żyw, Senior Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd

From the very first moment you are completely encapsulated in this wine. An array of delicious notes draw you in from baked apples and pears to crème anglaise and lemon posset. On the palate, the delicate creaminess carries through but it is lifted by an incredible freshness and a crunchy hit of red fruits. On the finish, white chocolate melts into toasted nuts and a saline air breezes through.

Drink 2030 - 2050

Amy Johnson, Account Manager, Berry Bros. & Rudd

The 2015 Brut Vintage Rosé is generous and demonstrative, bursting with aromas of peach, orange and pear mingled with hints of red berries, fresh bread and ginger. Full-bodied, layered and vinous, it's rich and enveloping, its textural attack segueing into an ample, fleshy core that's girdled by bright acids and enlivened by a pillowy mousse. Long and expansive, it's more generous and gourmand than its racier 2014 predecessor, but just as good.

Drink 2021 - 2031

William Kelley, Wine Advocate (Sep 2021)

Coming from all the Grand Cru villages of the Côte des Blancs, the 2015 Champagne Grand Cru Blanc De Blancs has a bright silver/yellow appearance and needs a second to open in the glass and reveal notes of fresh pear, candied lime, white flowers, and fresh bread dough. Medium-bodied, it fills the palate and has a broader mouthfeel but remains in check, with a light, chalky mouthfeel and pithy fresh citrus, which is characteristic of the savoriness of the vintage. It has a clean and mouthwatering finish. 7 grams per litre dosage.

Drink 2023 - 2038

Audrey Frick, JebDunnuck.com (November 2023)

In classical Pol Roger style, this Rosé shows power, sophistication, and charm. Salmon pink in the glass, the nose is a heady mix of forest fruits and fine patisserie. The palate shows opulence but a firm grip and chalky cleansing tension. A blend of 60% Chardonnay, and 40% Pinot Noir, using the assemblage method using Pinot Noir red wine from the Grand Cru villages of Ambonnay and Bouzy, together with Hautvilliers. This gives a fantastic depth of fruit with a smoky, floral scent and muscularity on the palate. A proudly Pinot style, with raspberry and blood orange, mesmerized by a seamless, foaming and long mineral finish. Just superb. Drink with roast chicken and bearnaise. Or it is a spiced fish stew with a saffron rouille.

Perfect to drink now, but it will cellar to 2035.

Davy Zyw, Senior Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd (November 2022) 

The 2015 Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill from Pol Roger shows opulent aromas of brioche, apricot and honeydew melon on the nose. This is followed by a lively palate of tangy lemon, apple and gingerbread. The finish is long and luxurious, leaving behind a lasting impression of creamy vanilla and toasted almond. This is an absolutely stunning expression

Drink 2027 - 2045

Joshua Friend, Senior Account Manager, Berry Bros. & Rudd (March 2023)

Perennial Berry Bros. & Rudd favourite, for staff and customers alike, La Rosine is sourced from vines just to the south of the appellation, including some on the plateau above. Decomposed granite, high planting densities and careful winery treatment, where pumping over is eschewed in favour of a more gentle cap management: all these factors contribute to the silky, charming ensemble presented in the glass; its ripe and generous fruit held in check by an authoritative, gently spicy finish. Drink now to 2021.
Simon Field MW, Wine Buyer

Creamy, tangy, coddled-yogurt richness. Dense and weighty, with layers and layers of richness: brûléed cream and cobnuts, honey and baked feta in pastry. Fascinating sprinkle of dried oregano grace notes. A kaleidoscope of flavour and texture tucked within a very firm, square frame. Linear, smoky end. Serious and magnificent. - Jancis Robinson

Ch. Lynch-Moussas’s 2016 is super fresh and lively. Dark ruby in colour, it possesses cool fruit on the palate. The wine is balanced with plenty of refreshing, almost minty acidity.

Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon 83%, Merlot 17%

From five plots the vineyard, this is a wine for which Arnaud never includes any whole bunches. It has a wonderful, floral, red berry lift to the nose, while the palate is defined by the acidity and ethereal energy. Still discreet and hidden, this needs time to open. The new oak (70 percent) is so well-integrated as to be barely noticeable. Drink 2022-2032.
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer

The domaine was founded by Charles Mortet, but rose to fame with the exceptional 1993 vintage crafted by his son Denis who tragically died at the age of 51 in January 2006. Denis believed with a deep passion that the work in the vineyard was everything. He has been succeeded by his equally, indeed exceptionally, talented son Arnaud, now also with the assistance of his sister Clémence. At the domaine everything starts in the vineyard, where every measure is taken to produce the finest, ripest fruit possible, creating a style of wine which, as Denis used to say is “a pleasure to drink young or old”. Arnaud Mortet is very happy with the quality of the 2016 vintage, explaining that its balanced profile with a mixture of ripeness and elegance will please everyone. Yields are very variable across the range, with anything from 30 to 70 percent of the crop having been lost to frost. Fortunately, mildew was not an issue as he acted swiftly to treat the vineyard when conditions began to deteriorate. He has generally used fewer whole bunches this year than in 2015.

The 2016 Valpolicella Classico Superiore is wild and exotic in the glass, with a spicy burst of citrus and hints of graphite that give way to crushed blackberries and incense. This is a juicy and vibrant interpretation of Quintarelli Valpolicella, with a wave of mineral-tinged wild berry fruit that washes across the palate, guided by stimulating acidity. It tapers off on a note of refinement, still quite mineral and classically dry, with a coating of fine tannins that add a pleasantly crunchy sensation. Since no Amarone was produced in 2016, the Valpolicella received a percentage of that fruit, propelling this beauty to the next level.

Drink 2024 - 2030

Eric Guido, Vinous.com (February 2024)

The Comm. G.B. Burlotto 2017 Barolo (showing some of the gold medals and awards won for past vintages in the artwork depicted on the front label) offers a traditional and time-honored approach to Nebbiolo. It draws its fruit from various sites in Verduno. This is a soft and pliant expression that produces a long and fine succession of wild cherry, blue flower, crushed stone and anise-like aromas. You might also notice some rusty iron or candied apricot. This is a solid Barolo (with 10,000 bottles released) that vaunts a classic and traditional personality despite the hot vintage. Drink: 2024-2038. - Wine Advocate:: 93/100

Dominique has this parcel on a fermage contract. It's an elegant expression of Beaune, with a bright purple colour, floral aromatics and rich fruit on the palate.  The tannins are silky, seductive and perfectly integrated with the fruit. A wonderful, floral finish. Drink 2021-2026

After the famine of 2016, this year is something of a feast, at least in the case of the reds. Sadly, the whites, which Dominique praises as having excellent clarity, are in slightly smaller volumes than 2016. The good news is that the full range of red wines has been made, and in good volume too. Dominique is effusive in his praise for the 2017 reds, describing them as appealing, with beautiful balance, a lightness of touch, refined tannins and a floral character with stunning red fruit.

Mid purple with rather a savoury touch to the nose. Plenty of emphasis behind, some firm tannins, this is a concentrated masculine version of Grèves. Discreet, youthful, laid back. The fruit will cope with the tannins. Bottled with a DIAM 30 organic closure.

Jasper Morris MW, insideburgundy.com (September 2021)

The 2017 Chambolle-Musigny Les Amoureuses 1er Cru was picked on September 8 and includes 40% whole cluster fruit. What I love about this Amoureuses is that it could not come from anywhere except this prestigious vineyard. The refined floral bouquet is sensual and nicely defined. The harmonious, feminine palate is beautifully balanced, displaying filigreed tannin and a precise, transparent finish that is intellectual as well as seductive. This is a beautifully crafted wine and vies with the Clos-de-Bèze as one of Drouhin’s finest 2017s. - Vinous

The 2017 Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Minéral Grand Cru is gorgeous. It offers a beguiling mix of lemon confit, marzipan, spice and graphite, melding together notable textural richness and vibrancy. This is an especially open-knit edition of the Minéral. That's not a bad thing at all. There's an exotic quality to the 2017 that is perhaps not characteristic but makes this quite enjoyable. - Vinous

Composed of 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2017 Canon la Gaffeliere contains a large part of second-generation fruit because 65% of the crop was affected by frost. Deep garnet-purple in color, it has pronounced crme de cassis, blueberry pie, red currants and red plums notes with touches of Chinese five spice, fragrant earth, tapenade and tobacco. The palate is medium-bodied with nice firm tannins giving a sturdy frame along with plenty of freshness supporting great mid-palate density, finishing long and earthy.
Lisa Perrotti-Brown - 27/04/2018

A heady perfume of meaty red fruit and spice rises from the glass on the bouquet. Rich and mouth-filling on the palate, a real vino di piacere with ripe red and black, spicy fruit vying for attention, brought together by rapier-like acidity and meltingly fine tannins. This delicious Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sangiovese blend from Bolgheri is not trying to be Sassicaia nor Ornellaia; it’s very much its own wine, more akin to Tignanello, but different again from the wine from Chianti Classico. It’s a delightful wine—delicious now but capable of up to a decade’s cellaring. 

Drink 2024 - 2032

Chris Pollington, Senior Account Manager, Berry Bros. & Rudd

A pronounced bouquet swarms the glass with generous notes of ripe red fruit, black cherry, herbal notes and touches of cedar. Grattamacco were among the first to blend Cabernet into their wines in Bolgheri. They have been mastering these blends far longer than the likes of other Super Tuscans; this is a wine with fantastic depth and richness, silky integrated tannins and brilliant intensity. I was rather impressed with this wine; I must agree with the critics on this one. It’s really pleasurable to drink now, but of course, it will benefit from a couple of years in the cellar. 

Drink 2024 - 2032

Joshua Friend, Senior Account Manager, Berry Bros. & Rudd

Rugiens is arguably Pommard's greatest vineyard, of which the lower section is perhaps the finest, but Ben's plot is in the lower part of Rugiens-Hauts and thus very adjacent. This is a big, stern and meaty wine, with dense tannins, but perfume and rigour too. Very serious and age-worthy.

It is fair to say that Ben is very happy with 2017, describing it as the kind of vintage he would sign up for every year. The whites, he says, are beautiful, and not far from 2014 in style, with purity, finesse, great definition and balance. He describes the reds as pretty, appealing and with body to support ageing, while highlighting the importance of lower-yielding old vines for serious ageing. He eloquently explains that there is no ''black sheep'' in 2017, that no village has underperformed. For reason of space, the limited volumes of Grands Crus have not been included in this brochure. Since the 2014 vintage, all white wines are bottled under screwcap

Drink 2025 - 2030

Berry Bros. & Rudd

The first red to be picked. 35 year old average age for the vines on sandy chalky soil, one third whole bunch vinification. Pretty mid purple, pretty and floral, more open than Grèves. No great weight but it is attractive and finishes with its floral perfume.

Jasper Morris, Inside Burgundy (November 2018)

Arguably the most complex and age-worthy wine in the cellar, this is very tight in its youth, with a little floral character poking through a muted nose before some stony minerals emerge. The palate is tightly structured with densely packed, stony tannins a touch of oak spice and some rich red fruit. This needs time to open up, but will reward those with patience. Drink 2024-2032.

François is keen to highlight the importance of the solidarity shown by the Côte’s vignerons at the end of April, when everyone came together to burn dampened bales and create cloud cover to ward off the frost. Without such action this could well have been another catastrophic yield. Having avoided this threat, the rest of the season was fairly straightforward with careful vineyard management and harvest began on the 30th August. He feels the whites are a mix of 2015 and 2014, while the reds are pretty and will drink well from an early age.

This Monforte site has one of the highest proportions of limestone in Barolo. It sits directly opposite Serralunga, across the valley. Whole bunches were used again, to give more fruit and softer tannins; but the Monforte aspect still appears, with refined, balsamic notes, but nothing savoury. There’s a bit of muscle, without being too sinewy.

Drink 2025 - 2038

Mark Pardoe MW, Wine Director, Berry Bros. & Rudd

This release is a blend of some of the best vineyards in Barolo. 45% is from Castiglione Falletto’s Scarrone, giving incredible perfume and fine, sweet tannins. The remaining blend comes from Rive, La Morra, which offers a darker fruit profile; and from their four prized vineyards in Serralunga d’Alba, giving depth, energy and saline minerality. Francesco’s sensitive winemaking shines through.

Drink 2023 - 2036

Adrian Brice, Fine Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd

This comes from a five-hectare plot with a mix of soil types, located in a south to south-east facing amphitheatre at an altitude of 320-340 meters. It’s rich and ripe on the nose, with plush sweet fruit, smoky savoury spice and a balsamic lift. A wine of deceptive power, with drive and vibrant energy, and a touch of salinity on the finish.

Drink 2026 - 2040

Adrian Brice, Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd

Low on the slope and bordering Pommard, this can be quite a durable wine. The vines were planted in 1985. The wine is full of strawberry fruit, but with a spicy edge; well-judged and nicely structured. Drink 2023-2030.

This comes from a single vineyard, tucked between the River Orcia and the hilltop Castelnuovo dell’Abate at 240 metres altitude. Here, the strata of soils are mix of iron-rich clay and galestro, filled with calcareous marine fossils. The 2018 vintage gave beautiful balance, without the blocky richness of 2017. It’s undergone wild fermentation in concrete, and 30 days on skins followed by 30 months in ultra traditional Slovenian botti grandi. The colour is pale, and the nose is perfumed with cool rose. The palate shines with savoury fruit, relaxed, composed and confident with a light mineral brightness and fine earthiness. The finish is smoky and super stylish.

Drink 2023 - 2038

Berry Bros. & Rudd

"This bottling is 100% Chardonnay sourced entirely from a single plot called ""La Tuilerie"" located in the middle altitude slopes of Vandieres (Mi-Coteau). Aged 42 months.

This is a spectacular Blanc de Blanc, great breadth and richness, fairly explosive on the palate with showstopping complexity. Packed with orchard fruits–plump apricot, white peaches, orange blossoms, lemon confit and a slate of minerality running throughout."

We always knew there was great potential at this large, but nevertheless high-quality, estate and with 2018 we feel that Château Laroque has pulled out all the stops. ‎The nose is packed full of plum, fruits of the forest and a hint of mocha. On the palate, there’s a tight ball of sweet Merlot fruit – with cassis and bilberry balanced by a hint of espresso bean. Rich tannins give it a lift on the back palate. It has a brightness and precision that belies its hidden depths. A storming success and the château’s best wine to date. Drink 2025-2035.

Blend: 97% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc

Within the Fontodi portfolio, this wine is the outlier, and it should be considered as such. The organic 2018 Chianti Classico Filetta di Lamole sources its fruit from a cooler growing site that is very different from the sun-drenched basin known as the Conca d'Oro in Panzano. Vineyards in Lamole are perched at a higher elevation, at a breezy 600 meters above sea level, and the soils see a greater presence of sandstone. This wine shows lots of brightness and resonance over a snappy, lean-bodied style. The bouquet delivers blue flower, wild cherry and rose. It ages in large oak casks for two years. Production is 20,000 bottles. 2021-2026. - Wine Advocate 91/100

In 2018 we return to a more classical style in Bolgheri, with great freshness and complexity. Due to this, it is one of winemaker Luca Marrone’s favourite vintages. Naturally fermented in open top tinelli, this is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot 15% Sangiovese. Blackcurrant, redcurrant, wild mint, dried roses and cherry smoke entice on the nose. The palate also has incredible elegance. Vivid fruit, red cherry and bramble are enveloped in fine tannins – all polished by 18 months in French oak.

Drink 2022 - 2040

Davy Żyw, Senior Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd

The Heitz Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced primarily from two vineyards in St. Helena - the 'Only One Vineyard' and the 'Spring Valley Vineyard'. Matured in a combination of new and used large oak casks and smaller barriques for two years, followed by a further year in bottle prior to release.

The nose of the 2018 Heitz Napa Cabernet Sauvignon is scented with fine raspberry and blackberry aromas mixing with macerated red cherries, herbal notes of wild oregano and a top note of sweet spice. What makes this an absolutely brilliant wine on the palate, however, is the combination of its beautiful, layered fruit character with such unbelievable freshness. There is a superb precision and line to this whilst a dusting of chalky tannins adds more refreshment on the long, savoury-lined finish. This is a wine that leaves the palate superbly invigorated, making you want to have at least another glass. It is absolutely delicious and so, so fine compared to what you might expect of Napa, especially at this price.

Drink 2024 - 2038

Catriona Felstead MW, Senior Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd

This first nose reminiscent of grilled popcorn (marker of the effect of autolysis of yeasts during aging), quince, candied lemon and straw. On the palate, perfect balance and sapid minerality.

With a fresh and intense nose associated with mineral and floral notes, a clean, fine and elegant palate enhanced by a salinity making it digestible and perfectly balanced. The nose is of great aromatic finesse and one can perceive the work carried out on the wood with part of the vinification and maturing carried out in a wooden cask. The aromatic structure in the mouth is supported by a slight bitterness that gives it a fresh, elegant and joyful finish. 

This wine is new to the portfolio, although it formed part of the village Volnay blend last year. From the Les Pleures sub-section of Les Santenots, Ben has 0.5 hectares of 50-year-old vines which gave a generous 35hl/ha this year. There is a commendable positivity in this wine, almost muscularity, with a rewarding density and richness.

Drink 2026 - 2032

This is a delightful and fresh Pinot Noir vibrating with enchanting fruit-driven notes. From Bourgogne's natural wine legend Yann Durieux, it’s a 100% Pinot Noir from selected parcels near the commune of Villers-la-Faye, not far from Les Grands Ponts, on the border between Hautes Côtes de Nuits and Hautes Côtes de Beaune. Natural wild fermentation, and nothing added or taken away, with no hint of added SO2.

There are three-and-a-half barrels in 2019. This is a hauntingly perfumed wine, with notes of violet and rose petal. The palate continues the energetic theme with a crystalline focus and a vibrant, mineral finish. This is often a star performer in warmer vintages, and 2019 really suits the vineyard. Drink 2030-2045. 

Fruit for this Monthelie Rouge has an average vine age of 40 years sourced from three different parcels, Les Plantes, Les Longenes, and Les Sous Court. Vinification includes a 5 hours cold maceration before fermentaiton in stainless steel, before being pressed to barrel for 18 months in oak, 20% of which are new.

Crushed black cherries and hints of wild strawberry waft up from the 2019 Rosso di Montalcino, with smoky minerals and savory herbs evolving in the glass. Its textures are fleshy and soft, caressing the senses with ripe red fruits, as brisk acids create a juicy expression. Nothing is out of place in this high-energy, fun and fruit-forward Rosso, which finishes wonderfully fresh, framed by a hint of tart berries clinging to the palate.

Drink 2022 - 2025

Eric Guido, Vinous.com (November 2020)

Nady Foucault working here on a consultation basis brings the obvious question, ‘Will this estate be the next Clos Rougeard?’. You get a hint of that ethereal nature in this cuvée, and that’s no surprise given the immense care taken, including four levels of sorting after harvest. 

Bright red cherry, raspberry and violets greet you in the glass and are carried by fine ripe tannins and zippy acidity. A garrigue and spicy nature complements the taut fresh notes and gives you a refreshing and clean finish. This is an instantly enjoyable Cabernet Franc that I’ve no doubt will continue to evolve and add further complexity over the next 10+ years. 

Drink 2024 - 2035

James Belok, Private Client Manager, Berry Bros. & Rudd

Deep crimson. Lots of fruit and a little chew – and lots of vitality. Great taffeta texture. Would be a gem to find in Paris, where so much Saumur-Champigny is sold.

Drink 2023 - 2029

Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com (September 2023)

Named after his daughter, who was born just as the harvest began for this wine, Mademoiselle’ M’ is made from vines grown in richer and more structured Kimmeridgian-limestone soils. The nose is fat and buttery, with a burst of bruised apple, candied lemon peel, lychee and a hint of honey.

Aged over a total of 36 months (with 18 in wooden barrels), this has a sumptuous texture that balances the overwhelming minerality from the terroir. Probably my favourite from the lineup, the balance of exotic fruit and a rich umami flavour is unlike anything I’ve had before. The finish lengthens after every sip, culminating in a crisp orchard fruit finale.

Henrietta Gullifer, Account Manager, Berry Bros. & Rudd

Magenta/purple-coloured, the ripe and spicy 2020 Barbera D'Alba Scudetto is fruity with fresh blackberries peppery spice, violets, and dusty earth. Medium-bodied and silky, it’s pure and long on the palate, with great intensity and a mouthwatering, warming finish. It is damn tasty now and will drink well over the next 8-10 years.

Drink 2024 - 2034

Audrey Frick, JebDunnuck.com (May 2024)

From the walled clos surrounding Château de Puligny-Montrachet, this is fast becoming an iconic wine. The deep silt and clay soils help to resist dry conditions. The attack has juicy citrus and white stone-fruit. Pleasing acidity runs right through the wine. The white-flower notes and gentle, lacy texture make this feel like a Puligny in all but name. 

Drink 2023 - 2030

Berry Bros. & Rudd

Enough wood to remark upon sets off ripe yet cool aromas of black cherry liqueur, newly turned earth and a whiff of smoked game. There is excellent verve and detail to the surprisingly fine and appealingly textured larger-scaled flavors that possess focused power on the firm, youthfully austere and impressively persistent finale. Drink through 2032+.- Burghound

Fine crimson purple. The fruit comes across as a touch richer than the Chambolle, but still nicely in balance. No more than medium bodied, much more about finesse and balance, good acidity, peppery finish after the perfumed fresh strawberry fruit. -Jasper Morris MW

This well-judged Cabernet Sauvignon has an elegant, blackcurrant-perfumed nose with a sweet hint of liquorice and spice. A herbal note brings freshness alongside a gravelly minerality reminiscent of Bordeaux. The palate is medium weight with the dark, ripe berry fruit lifted by a refreshing lick of acidity. This is a supremely drinkable wine. Fine tannins and a savoury twist complete the rewarding finish. This is best served slightly cool to bring out that lovely perfume.

Drink now until 2026

Catriona Felstead MW, Senior Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd

Attractively layered aromas comprise notes of hazelnut, pear essence and plenty of floral elements, especially carnation and acacia. The delicious and fleshy medium-weight flavours possess an incredible intensity and are cut before terminating in a lemony finale that is solidly persistent, if not quite as complex. However, this, of course, may well change with time in the bottle.

Drink from 2027 onward

Allen Meadows, Burghound.com (June 2022)

Aromas of lime zest, toasted nuts, white flowers and crisp orchard fruit introduce the 2020 Meursault Sous la Velle, a medium to full-bodied, satiny and racy wine that's vibrant and expressive, concluding with a saline finish.

As ever, the inimitable Bernard Boisson presided over my annual tasting in his usual, refreshingly old-school manner, offering splashes from a variety of bottles, some open for several days and some opened for my benefit. As readers will remember, Bernard's holdings have been entirely divided between his son Pierre and daughter Anne.

On this visit, Boisson père reiterated that in fact Pierre and Anne operate separately though cooperatively (Pierre taking care of all the tractor work in the vineyards) and vinify in their own way—though the two labels' styles are undeniably more similar than different. As I understood it, Bernard himself acts as a sort of unlikely business manager for the duo, hosting tastings and managing the wines' distribution.

Drink 2023 - 2033

William Kelley, Wine Advocate (January 2023)

This is Berthenet’s most full-bodied style, with ample fresh stone fruit, a hint of golden apple and a touch of hazelnut. The vineyard sits right at the top of the Côte Chalonnaise, giving the wine a vibrantly charged acidity and a round, plush texture. As with his other cuvées, the élevage is carefully curated. Here, the wine is aged entirely in (30% new) demi-muids before being moved to stainless steel tanks – ensuring the wine remains vivacious and reflects its terroir. The finish is resplendent with a rich spiciness and a piquancy of flint.

Drink now - 2032

Henrietta Gullifer, Account Manager, Berry Bros. & Rudd (September 2024)

This is made from Les Quarts’ “young” vines (35-50 years old). It’s mostly raised in tank, for freshness, with one-third in used barrels, for breadth and texture. The nose is spicy and vibrant, with an explosion of fresh citrus fruit that follows through to the palate. With pleasing weight and concentration, this finishes on a crisp, saline note.

Drink 2022 - 2028

Berry Bros. & Rudd

Spontaneously fermented in large Garbellotto botti, the wine was kept on skins for a month before spending a further 19 months refining in botti. The nose wields intense aromatics, wild fruits, small flowers, earthy depth and balsamic brightness. The palate is tight, with ceramic-like tannins, compelling fruit charm and savoury complexity, superior to many Brunelli of the region. Brunello intensity meats Burgundian finesse.

Drink now to 2035

The 2020 Saint-Aubin Rouge has an attractive bouquet with dark cherries and hints of blueberry, nicely defined. The palate is ripe and chewy on the entry with black plum and a touch of balsamic, quite firm on the finish but with decent length. 

Drink 2023 - 2028

Neil Martin, Vinous.com (December 2021)

Twenty percent of this wine was made in barrel this year, with the remainder in tank to preserve the purity and freshness of the fruit. There is a pronounced spicy character here, which Anatole de la Brosse says is typical of the vineyard. Beneath the spice is rich and perfumed fruit, which follows on the palate with pleasing generosity, caressing tannins and a fine, refreshing finish.

Drink now to 2032

Adam Bruntlett, Senior Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd

From a south-facing vineyard immediately above the hamlet of Gamay, this delivers immediate pleasure. There is a pure expression of the redcurrant end of Pinot Noir’s spectrum, both aromatically and with the energy on the palate. This is more than a simple, pretty wine; there is a surprisingly well-layered palate, with more strawberry notes among the sapid tannins.

Drink 2023 - 2028

Berry Bros. & Rudd

The element of this Bourgogne Rouge that comes from Benjamin Leroux’s own fruit was down 40% in the 2021 vintage, while the market price for grapes at this level was up 120% - so he had to buy carefully. Benjamin opted to use whole-bunch fermentation on the regular components of the blend, and is pleased with how the new purchases have fitted in. The wine is very pleasing and easy, with lots of soft and sweet red fruit flavours.

Drink 2022 - 2026

Berry Bros. & Rudd

From six different lieux-dits.

Here, too, there is a whiff of herbal tea character sitting atop the earthier and more sauvage-influenced red berry fruit aromas. The sleek and delicious medium-bodied flavours are not quite as rich, though they are more precise and more mineral-driven on the impressively long and well-balanced finale. This is a fine Gevrey Villages that is worth thinking about.

Drink from 2028 onward

Allen Meadows, Burghound.com (January 2023)

This is a dark and concentrated edition of Il Bruciato. Bursting with blackberry, black plum and vibrant cherry touches. Some sweet spice and vanilla too. A portion of the Merlot and Syrah were fermented at slightly lower temperatures in order to protect varietal expressiveness and lighter, pretty aromas.

This keeps the wine in check brilliantly and provides balance. The blend for 2021 also includes some of the estate’s prized Cabernet Franc and a little Petit Verdot. A little bit of patience here will be key. This has a great future ahead of it.

Drink 2024 – 2031

Charlie Leech, Account Manager, Berry Bros. & Rudd

Joey Tensley was inspired by the wines of the Rhône Valley so it is hardly a surprise that he has made such a lovely red blend based on Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre and a little bit of Viognier. Sweet red cherry fruit dominates the nose. Red cherries and strawberries continue on the palate, yet the forward fruit is perfectly offset by a savoury edge, adding interest and complexity. The wine is balanced and fine, and the nuanced flavours linger on the generous, fresh and elegant finish.

Drink 2024 - 2026

Catriona Felstead MW, Senior Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd

This is an ephemeral cuvée of 80% Chardonnay and 20% Savagnin, because of the problems with the 2021 vintage. The 2021 5 Étoiles is a light ouillé white that is quite light and fresh, with 13% alcohol. It was bottled in October 2022 after an élevage of 12 months in foudre. 3,618 bottles were produced.

Drink 2023 - 2029

Luis Gutiérrez, Wine Advocate (July 2023)

Annalisa’s Langhe Nebbiolo comes from a 30-year-old, east-facing vineyard, which faces up towards Castiglione Falletto. Soils here are like those of the estate’s viewpoint, with layers of sand and mineral clay, which give perfume and elegance. The wine was fermented in steel tank, and spent six months in 25 hectolitre botti. This is crunchy and pure, with juicy berry flavours, firm floral edges and a bite of blood orange.

Drink 2023 - 2030

Berry Bros. & Rudd

The round, rich and plump middle weight flavors possess a seductive mouthfeel while offering reasonably good depth and persistence though the fabric softener character reappears on the ever-so-mildly sweet and warm finale. - Burghound

A nose dominated by floral aromas of hawthorn and jasmine. Round and velvety, the mouth reveals buttery and custard notes. The palate is very surprising and impresses with its length.

From an east-facing parcel just underneath the Roche de Vergisson, this has a delicate nose of white flowers and nice aromas of lemon curd and citrus fruits. Good salinity and tension make this very enjoyable now, but it has good potential to develop further.

Drink 2024 - 2028

Berry Bros. & Rudd

The 2022 Maçon-Pierreclos En Crazy, tasted direct from barrel, has a crisp nose with Granny Smith apples intermixed with pear and light brioche. Not complex, yet pure and delineated. A fine silver bead of acidity marks the palate, taut and fresh, with attractive notes of bitter lemon and more pear surfacing toward the finish. This is a very capable Mâcon-Pierreclose.

Drink 2023 - 2038

Neal Martin, Vinous.com (August 2023)

Our new sustainably made tote bags are the smartest way to transport your bottles. These thick, high-quality canvas bags are produced for us by Re-wrap, a small firm specializing in sustainable and reusable textiles. Inside, you’ll find three individual bottle compartments, plus plenty of room for other shopping.

The Berry Bros. & Rudd Own Selection range offers brilliant value for money, and this carefully selected Christmas gift box is no different. Inside, you will find a selection of quality wines, including our wonderfully ripe White Burgundy, our much-loved Good Ordinary Claret, and our elegant, impressive Grand Cru Champagne by Mailly.
 
This case contains one 75cl bottles of each of the following: 
 Berry Bros. & Rudd Champagne by Mailly, Grand Cru
2022 Berry Bros. & Rudd White Burgundy by Collovray & Terrier
2022 Berry Bros. & Rudd Bourgogne Côte d'Or Pinot Noir by Benjamin Leroux
2020 Berry Bros. & Rudd Good Ordinary Claret by Dourthe, Bordeaux
2019 Berry Bros. & Rudd Pauillac by Château Lynch-Bages, Bordeaux
2020 Berry Bros. & Rudd Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir by Au Bon Climat, California, USA

Champagne Bollinger is famed for its rich house style. This is partly because 80% of each Bollinger harvest is matured in oak barrels adding depth, complexity and texture. The nose tantalises with aromas of strawberry, orange blossom and warm cherry. The palate is wonderfully rounded, adding some cream to those strawberry flavours and a hint of rose petal. Enjoy this fresh and lively Champagne with grilled prawns or strawberries and cream.

Drink now

Alexandra Gray de Walden DipWSET, Berry Bros. & Rudd

This is gleaming gold in the glass. The nose entices with yellow fruit, ginger and hot buttered scones, while the palate is softly foaming, powerful and utterly delicious. The fine mousse aids textural complexity. Flavours weave between the immediate satisfaction of baked plum crumble with cream, and serious, savoury Pinot musk from the thoroughbred chalk terroir, the maturity of the base vintages and evolution in bottle. The finish is mineral, golden, expansive and dangerously moreish.

Davy Żyw, Senior Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd

The NV Extra Brut Les Beguines is spicy, savoury and full of Meunier character. All it needs is time to soften and fully come together, as it has just been disgorged. Today, it is the raw energy that impresses me most. Dried pear, ginger, spice, dried herbs, anise and chamomile open gradually. 

Time in the glass fills out the mid-palate and finishes nicely, giving a good idea of what is to come. This looks to be a medium-bodied, distinctly savoury, vintage for Les Beguines. This release is based on 2020, with 20% reserve wines from 2019. The dosage is 2.5 grams per litre.

Disgorged: October 2022.

Drink 2024 - 2032

Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com (November 2022)

A charming nose that is both pronounced but also incredibly delicate. Touches of Amalfi lemons, oranges, stewed green apples and fresh pastries entice. The palate feels surprisingly settled, given the relatively recent disgorgement and the gentle mousse, a hallmark of the cuvée. Vibrant citrus, lemon compote, apple Tarte Tatin and a steely backbone.

Delicate floral aromas give a really refreshing feel, but there is considerable potential to age. This will cellar for 4 years or 40; the choice is yours. What is clear is that Grand Siècle has been, and still is, hugely underappreciated. 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir coming from 2008, 2007 and 2006. 12 years lees ageing.

Paul Keating, Private Account Manager, Berry Bros. & Rudd (April 2022)

The first impression is as invigorating as a sea breeze. I love the interplay of mirabelle, grapefruit and lychee fruit with minty freshness and waxiness from lees contact. And all this is welded to a beautifully proportioned palate with plenty of structure, bright acidity and the mousse animating. It's a very salty finish that pulls you back for more. 

A cuvee of 41% Chardonnay, 33% Pinot Noir and 26% Pinot Meunier. Of these, 15% fermented in oak and 85% in stainless steel. The final blend contained 36% reserve perpetual and 10% reserve wines of the 2012 - 2018 vintage from oak. The dosage is 7 g/l. 

Drink or hold

Stuart Pigott, Senior Editor at JamesSuckling.com (August 2023)

The style of Pol Roger is always about opulence, sophistication and purity, and their flagship wine, Réserve Brut, is the epitome of their craft. This is a careful balance of the three noble varieties of Champagne: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir & Meunier, grown across 30 of the region’s most desired villages. Although this is a non-vintage Champagne, this Réserve Brut is made mainly from the harmonious 2020 vintage, with 25% reserve wine. The reserve wine is held in steel tank, a blend of older vintages adding weight and complexity to the palate.

Aged for four years, longer than many non-vintage Champagnes, this additional time on lees guarantees the toasted patisserie flavours but also gives the finest, foaming effervescence. White gold in the glass, with a nose of golden pear, tangerine and fresh almond croissant. The palate dances with white peach, clean lemon pith, golden crumb and crescendos with a saffron-infused, chalk stream finish. A Champagne which reminds you what Champagne should be.

Davy Żyw, Senior Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd (October 2024)

This exceptional champagne is a darling of lovers of grower champagnes—and one can see why. It is exuberant, fresh, and crisp, yet it has excellent depth of flavour as well, with aromas of lemon peel, nectarine, passionfruit, and a hint of smoky, flinty, saline minerality. It is produced from a 1.55-hectare parcel in the village of Congy in the Coteaux du Petit Morin, planted to a mix of Pinot Noir, Meunier, and Chardonnay. The grapes are mostly 2015, fermented in used casks, and blended with a small amount of reserve wine before ageing for five years on the lees. 

It was disgorged in March of 2021 with an extra-brut dosage.

Drink 2022 - 2045

Charles Curtis MW, Decanter.com (February 2023)

Disgorged in 2022 after 36 months in tirage, the NV Extra-Brut Blanc de Noirs Les Maillons (2018) is based on the 2018 vintage, incorporating fully 60% reserve wines from the 2017 vintage. 

Opening in the glass with scents of sweet mirabelle plum, honeycomb, orange oil, bee pollen and spices, it’s full-bodied fleshy and seamless, with a satiny attack that segues into a vinous, enveloping mid-palate that’s complemented by a fine, pillowy mousse. 

Concluding with a sapid, penetrating finish, 2018 was the first vintage in which Collin employed his new Coquard press, and it doesn’t seem fanciful to imagine that this contributes to the notable finesse of this release.

Drink 2022 - 2035

William Kelley, Wine Advocate (August 2022)

For those hosting dinner parties this festive season, our selection of classic Christmas wines is a must-buy. Including a powerful Cantenac Brown, a Beaune from Domaine Benjamin Leroux and the deliciously complex Pol Roger Réserve Brut, these are delicious bottles for a Christmas dinner party.

This case contains one 75cl bottle of each of the following: 
Champagne Pol Roger, Réserve, Brut
2019    Pouilly-Fuissé, Sur La Roche, Olivier Merlin, Burgundy
2009    Château Cantenac Brown, Margaux, Bordeaux
2017    Beaune, Cent Vignes, 1er Cru, Benjamin Leroux, Burgundy              

Our Festive Champagne Set is packed with showstoppers that are guaranteed to delight your guests over the festive season. In this mixed case, you’ll find 3 bottles of our glorious Own Selection Grand Cru Champagne, 2 bottles of the beautifully crisp and elegant Pol Roger Réserve Brut along with a bottle of the lively and exuberant Bollinger Special Cuvée Brut.